Chapter 7 Grayson: Home

• Grayson POV
• Stopping the bike, I climb off and walk into the club. Ashton and Emmet follow me. I watch as Big Bear looks up at us and waves us through. Walking around the bar, we go into the office and sit.
• "All good. There are no major issues and nothing to point out," he states and hands us the sheets. I pass them to Ashton, and he flicks through the numbers.
• "We might have a new barmaid for you, one who actually uses bikes." I look at him, and his head shakes. He won't like it, but it needs to be done.
• "No, I get it is your place and shit, but no. We don't need to replace the barmaid. She is fine."
• I laugh at his words. "Fine? Last time we were here, she couldn't handle the customers; a woman with more balls would be better." I have seen this Ava a few times; the last time, she struggled to control the guys. She needs more control, dominance, dare I say it fucking confidence.
• "Well, it isn't an issue anymore. I'm here more to help out, and her friend isn't afraid to kick asses either." I look up interested. Ava has no friends, and I came to learn that quickly.
• "Raven showed up about a week ago—dances at the Skinsteel. Ava had issues, and I was ready to go out and sort it, and Raven had. Look, I promised her father to look after her. I keep my promises, and she stays. You want to bring in a random, do it, but she stays." He faces me.
• I nod, admiring that he is standing up to us. He may be stupid, but I get it; she's like family.
• "All good." Ashton slams the papers down on the desk. "Let's have a drink and watch for a bit." Ashton stands, and I agree. I need to see how customers are behaving. I need to spend some time watching and seeing if anyone is acting up. Walking through, we sit at the table. I watch as Big Bear whispers in Ava's ear. She smiles and nods. A moment later, she carries our drinks over to us before going back to the bar. She had a slight bit more confidence; for a change, her eyes didn't stick to the floor as she walked to us.
• An hour passes and I watch as Ava works, she seems more confident, and that helps. Her smile widens, and I look around the booth to see the woman walk in. Shit, she is hot. I stare and watch as she talks with Ava. A while passes as they talk, and Ava dances slightly. It's a side I hadn't seen; clearly, it is down to this Raven. It's now a battle. Should I wait and see if she changes more, or should I go ahead and remove her?
• I hear a laugh and look at the guys. They aren't from here, no doubt hopping from town to town. Some do it.
• "I was expecting leather and biker chick, not a flabby dyke." I watch my brothers turn as they hear it. Clearly, Ava and her friend haven't. I shake my head at my brothers. We're not getting involved. Sure, I want to, but we can't break a guy's fingers for words. Okay, I could, it's a lack of respect, but I won't.
• "Disgusting. I'm surprised she can get clothes to fit." I see Ava freeze and hate build in Raven's eyes. She heard that. I smile. I want to see what happens. So I won't get involved. I watch Ava stop Raven, whispering something to her. Raven nods and stands, and I watch her dancing, my eyes unable to leave her body as she swings her hips while on the bar, unfastening a button. I watch her dance with Ava and move to the table where the guys are. They are dumb. I might be enjoying her body move, but I'm watching and noticing. She wouldn't get so close to me so easily.
• My eyes stay on Raven, and I watch her dancing on their table and throwing a drink into the face of the guy who had called Ava names.
• "Call her names again, and the glass will be thrown in your face next time." Raven glares at him and I watch him reach for her, I get ready to move and watch her duck his hit, and grab him, his head slamming down on the tables between her thighs. Hell, he's lucky. So many men would want to be in that position.
• "Touch me, and you lose your fucking fingers! Pervert!" Raven pushes him back and they run out, my body relaxes, and she can fight for herself.
• "Raven!" I look at Ava as she complains. Raven spins on the table to face her.
• "Don't, he deserved more, I didn't hit him." She isn't wrong. She jumps from the table and continues to dance, and I see Ava smiling and relaxing again. Raven stands on the bar dancing, slowly unfastening her top. She's wild. I move and adjust my jeans. I watch the song finish, and she jumps down and hugs Ava. We're silent. It's a new person in the city, and she's staying by the sounds of it.
• "Raven." I hear Big Bear and look at him.
• "They called her disgusting, and I was teaching them manners." I smile at Raven's words.
• Big Bear chuckles. "I wasn't going to tell you off. I was going to say thank you. You saved me a job. I heard from the office on CCTV, so thanks. You're late for work, though." I watch her jump up and rush. Clearly, she forgot work, so I guess a trip there will also be good.
• I watch as Big Bear walks to us.
• "Look, for now, I will agree. She has changed, but she has a long way to go. Make her aware. You have a month, and she is gone if there aren't significant changes." He nods without answering and walks off.
• "Skinsteel?" Ashton looks at me. Clearly, he's all too eager to see Raven again.
• "No, we need to call into the bar next to it first." I stand, and they follow. Getting on the bikes, we make our way to Skinsteel. Walking to the bar next to it, I watch as Darren looks at us, shocked.
• "I wasn't expecting you." Why do I feel like this is where we find out he has hidden something?
• "Well, we're here, let's go through." I walk to his office with Ashton and Emmet following. Sitting down, I watch and wait, then reach out my hand, waiting.
• "Look, I need twenty-four hours. I haven't done it." And there it is. As soon as he saw us, I knew he had done something.
• "Darren, they should be up to date constantly. We need the numbers now." I turn to Emmet. "Check the stock."
• He walks to the safe putting in the code, Darren stands quickly.
• "Fine, okay, fine!" He shouts, and we all look at him, waiting.
• "Waiting, Darren."
• "I have the numbers, but I lost some stock. I will pay for it out of my own money!" he screams as Ashton walks towards him.
• "How much? You're meant to manage this place, Darrem, that includes the drugs and sales. So, how much did you fucking lose?"
• "Twenty grand." I stare at him, I thought he was going to say something small. That he would have taken a bit to party with while we were gone, but twenty fucking grand?
• "You have forty-eight hours to get the cash or the drugs. You're no longer trusted, so consider yourself without a job after those forty-eight hours." I stand and walk out, with my brothers following. I don't stop; I walk straight into Skinsteel, and we sit.
• This place we own the land it's on, so our only involvement is that the lovely Alexa sends us a percentage of takings every month. We don't get involved in the business. She can do as she likes here. We spent the night watching the dancers, but I really didn't; I only watched Raven.
• "I could fuck her all day." I laugh at Ashton's words.
• "All day? Ashton, you wouldn't survive an hour with her." I joke, but he takes it like a big boy and laughs.
• "Are you saying you wouldn't?" He looks at me and Emmett.
• "I don't need to stick my dick in her or any other woman. I have Ellie." She does the job. They both laugh, and I watch Raven climb onto the table in front of us, dancing around the pole. I see her kneeling and lying backwards. Her hips grind so the pole rubs between her legs, and fuck; it's hot.
• "Yeah, you want to." I hear Emmet and laugh.
• "Want, maybe, don't need to, though." Maybe I do need to? I watch her dance away from us. I think I need to, but that, well, that is a weakness. I don't do what I need, what I want, yes, not need.
• "Party?" Ashton smiles.
• "Yeah, bring some stuff to sell. Then back home and maybe see mother dearest." I love her, but she is blind and dumb.
• "Is Dave still around?" Emmett looks at me.
• "Yeah, I called in briefly. Mum was working, he was, well, sat back like a slob." I can't do much; I make a lot of men run away, but my mother brings home more. Her quest to find love leads her to bring back men who just want the cash.
• One day, she will learn. Granted, Dave at least hasn't hit her, so for now, I will let the devil stay. The party is nothing special. Sitting, we talk, and people come to us about business. I keep my eyes on everyone and everything. I don't relax; I keep watching for movements and signs. Ellie sits on my knee as I talk to people. I see a crowd forming and look up from my phone, my eyes going to Raven.
• "She likes to play." Emmett nudges me, and I watch her and the guy. I admire her body as she stands, and he throws the daggers. She has a long way to go to beat him. I hold back the laugh at the terror on his face as she directs him to place his hands on his head. If she aims for there, I don't blame him.
• I watch the speed at which she throws the daggers. "Fuck." That is hot, and I have to admit it. I stare at all three daggers between his legs. She can aim. No, I don't do what I need. I don't give in to what I need.
• "That woman." Ashton grins.
• "It's not happening, Ashton. She won't even look your way. You're too pretty." Emmett and I laugh.
• "She would. If I wanted to." He says that yet he is clearly interested, and something tells me she won't fuck him; I watch her walk off with the Jasper guy.
• Sitting, I do more business, and at some point, Ashton and Emmett disappear upstairs. After so long, they return, and all I can still see is Raven—her dancing, her throwing the daggers, her beating the guy in the club.
• Standing I keep my arms around Ellie and walk upstairs, stepping into the bathroom I point down, and watch as she kneels for me. We don't talk. I close my eyes and let my head fall back from the pleasure her mouth gives me.
• She's going too slow and soft, though; grasping her hair, I move my hips fucking her mouth while groaning and hearing her gag. With a final thrust, I bury myself deep in her throat and come.
• I pull her back and begin sorting my clothes, leaving her in the bathroom. Anything at the parties is quick. I can't be gone too long.
• I join my brothers back on the sofa, my eyes instantly taking in where everyone is.
• "Ellie, being on your knee all night is making her a target." I turn to Emmett. "Just what's been said, so careful, Grayson." I nod; of course, she is a target—any woman is a target, or any woman who can't fight anyway.
• A moment later Ellie comes through and sits on my knee, I move and bounce her off so she falls to the floor, her eyes widening. Turning away from her, I ignore her; it's for her own good; people will now think she was nothing more than a fuck. She won't get dragged into this life and hurt.
• "Home." I can't be arsed tonight, that just killed everything. Standing I get ready and they follow.
• Walking in, I don't bother with anything; I go straight to my room, closing and locking the door. It's a habit; when they were younger, I would come in, lock the door, and wash the blood away so they never saw. I sit at the desk, slowly drawing, after an hour I stop and realise I have drawn Raven, what the fuck?